Camera Exposure Determination Based on a Psychometric Quality Model

This paper discusses exposure determination for digital cameras, beginning with a tutorial on exposure control and the factors affecting the quality of still captures, especially exposure index. It presents a psychometric model for the overall quality of digital camera images as a function of motion blur and exposure index. A motion-aware exposure control algorithm based on that model is described for exclusively ambient illumination and then extended for combined flash and ambient illumination. Results from a field test with a modified consumer camera quantify the effectiveness of the algorithm.